The Bag That Launched a Thousand Waitlists: Jane Birkin’s Original Hermès Heads to Auction

Move over, crypto whales and Picassos—there’s a new unicorn on the auction block, and it’s made of leather. The very first Hermès Birkin bag, the one personally carried by the late, great Jane Birkin, is set to be auctioned this summer at Sotheby’s Paris. This isn’t just a bag—it’s the genesis of a luxury legend, the Hermes Birkin prototype that launched an entire fashion category and ignited decades of waitlists, whispered store connections, and carefully choreographed brand exclusivity.

The Birkin bag has long been considered the Rolls-Royce of handbags: rare, bespoke, and dazzlingly expensive. But the one going on the block? It’s the original. The O.G. The Mona Lisa of handbags.

It all started, quite fittingly, mid-air. In 1984, Jane Birkin found herself seated next to Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas on an Air France flight. Ever the bohemian muse, she complained about the lack of a practical, stylish bag big enough for a mother’s day-to-day necessities. Dumas, perhaps out of chivalry or brand foresight (or both), sketched a prototype right there on the back of an airsickness bag. Thus was born the Hermès Birkin, a handbag with the soul of a tote and the craftsmanship of haute couture.

Sotheby’s, in its official statement, notes:

Unlike the refined and polished Birkins that followed, the original bag tells a story. Handmade from black box calf leather with brass hardware, it features a shoulder strap—unusual for modern Birkins—and Jane’s initials discreetly stamped into the flap. It’s not pristine. This bag lived. There are glue stains from stickers supporting humanitarian causes, and a dangling nail clipper (yes, really). And while your average fashion collector might see these as imperfections, connoisseurs recognize them for what they are: the fingerprints of a legend.

It’s being sold by a private collector as part of Sotheby’s "Fashion Icons" auction, running June 26 to July 10, 2025. Before it crosses the Atlantic to the Parisian auction floor, it will be displayed at Sotheby’s New York headquarters from June 6–12. Consider it a pilgrimage site for fashionistas, pop culture buffs, and anyone who appreciates the artistry of wearable design.

The bag’s provenance is unimpeachable. Jane Birkin, who passed away in 2023 at age 76, was a style icon, muse to Serge Gainsbourg, and an enduring symbol of effortless Parisian cool. She also used her platform for activism, supporting the fight against AIDS, Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement, and countless other causes. Her authenticity gave the Birkin bag its edge: it wasn’t born in a boardroom; it was born from a woman who actually needed it.

French President Emmanuel Macron called her “the incarnation of freedom.” In a world of manufactured celebrity, Jane Birkin was the real deal.

As of now, Sotheby’s is keeping the bag’s estimated price under wraps, offering figures to “interested parties upon request.” But let’s just say this: recent auctions have proven that fashion ephemera can fetch eye-watering sums. In 2023, Princess Diana’s iconic black sheep sweater sold for $1.1 million—14 times its estimate. It’s safe to assume Birkin’s bag could easily clear seven figures, especially given its one-of-one status.

While resale prices for secondhand Birkins already range from $5,000 to $220,000, this one occupies an entirely different universe. It's not just a status symbol—it's fashion history in tangible form.

"No handbag in the world carries as much cultural significance as the Hermès Birkin. But before it became the ultimate symbol of luxury, the Birkin was born out of necessity — crafted specifically for Jane Birkin herself," Sotheby's said in a statement Thursday announcing the auction.

In a 2023 interview with 60 Minutes, Hermès artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas clarified the difference between “expensive” and “costly.” Expensive, he said, implies being overcharged for something underwhelming. Costly, on the other hand, implies that the price reflects real value, like time-intensive craftsmanship and the use of top-tier materials.

And the Birkin bag is costly, indeed. Each one takes up to 48 hours to handcraft by artisans trained for years. That commitment to quality is precisely why Hermès can’t keep up with demand—and why they don’t need to play the "scarcity game" critics accuse them of.

As Dumas put it:

Let’s be honest—there’s something a little cheeky about a “status symbol” originally designed to hold baby bottles and diapers. But that’s what makes the Birkin such a powerful cultural icon: it’s aspirational without being sterile, elegant without being untouchable. Jane Birkin didn’t just wear luxury—she lived in it, adorned it with stickers, and turned it into a moving billboard for humanitarian causes.

Today, the Birkin continues to symbolize everything from wealth and taste to rebellion and accessibility (ironically, since most people can’t access one). And this summer, the very first of its kind will find a new home—likely in a museum, a private vault, or, dare we dream, on the arm of someone who dares to carry it.